Politics & Government

BHPD Chief Alleged Victim of Identity Theft

David Snowden's personal information was allegedly stolen in an effort to shut off the electricity at his home.

Beverly Hills Police Department Chief David Snowden is one of the alleged victims named in the case against Steven Grant Almeida, who pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he stole the identities of people in the local justice system and used their personal identifying information to try to shut off the electricity at their homes.

Almeida, 32, of Torrance was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of more than $2.3 million bail pending his next appearance June 21 at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse. He is charged with 71 felony counts, including identity theft, false personation, wiretapping, cutting a utility line, attempted cutting of a utility line and unauthorized disruption or denial of computer services.

Others named as alleged victims in the criminal complaint include Jonathan Fairtlough and Elden Fox. Fairtlough is a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney and Fox is a judge in Beverly Hills Superior Court.

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Almeida is also accused of disrupting the operations of a Pilates studio in Beverly Hills by hijacking the phone lines and website, and then defacing the website, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The criminal complaint alleges that Almeida was convicted in April 2007 in Los Angeles County of shooting at an inhabited dwelling. He was sentenced in that case to five years in state prison, but it was not immediately clear how much of that term he served. Almeida also was allegedly deported from Sweden.

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"This cowardly cyber criminal will no longer be able to hide behind the anonymity of the Internet," said District Attorney Steve Cooley. "He will be thoroughly exposed in court for the incredible harm he has wreaked on so many."

If convicted as charged, Almeida faces a maximum of 97 years in state prison, according to the District Attorney's Office.

This report was compiled with information from City News Service.

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